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Access Remote’

If you need to monitor and control your security cameras from another place than where they are located, consider access remote security cameras. These cameras allow you to view and control them remotely, instead of from a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system. They make great tools for monitoring your residence when you are away at work, travel, or extended periods. They are also great for monitoring businesses because the monitoring can be done away from the business, at home or just about anywhere in the world.

Before we talk any further about access remote security cameras, let’s quickly review how a typical, non-access remote security camera system works. Most systems are component systems; each component can be customized for your specific needs. Most of the components today are compatible, that is, they don’t have to be made from the same manufacturer or be purchased as one proprietary system.

A basic security camera system consists of from one to many digital video cameras, a Digital Video Recorder or DVR which normally contains a processor, much like a computer, that interprets the digital video signal and creates a digital video file that can be viewed on a monitor or stored on the DVR for later use.

Each digital video camera is normally connected to the DVR using an RG-59 coaxial video transmission cable. This cable carries the signal from the camera to the DVR/processor. These days, there are many different ways the camera can send the video signal to the DVR or other places. Older analog video security video camera systems were pretty much restricted to this cable method. The older analog cameras were much like smaller versions of television studio cameras, and because they were all connected to a recording unit via a transmission cable, they were given the name Closed Circuit Television or CCTV.

Today’s security cameras are no longer analog and they are no longer restricted to using a coaxial cable to transmit their video signal. Although this is the most common method still used today, there are other options available for transmitting the video signal to the DVR/processor.

For example, security cameras can be of the “wireless” variety. These cameras contain built-in transmitters and an antenna and send their signal to a corresponding receiver using radio technology. Most of these cameras operate using the 2.4 or 5.8 GHz technology that our wireless home phones use. The receiver is connected to the DVR/processor by a cable which passes the signal on for handling.

This could be one way of making access remote security cameras. In fact, older security systems that were professionally monitored were normally connected to a transmitter that was mounted to the house or business that sent proprietary radio transmissions to the monitoring companies’ receiver. The problem with this type of system though, is that the distance for transmission is limited. Monitoring companies would often need to use expensive repeater units to keep the transmission going from the security system to the monitors. This was cost prohibitive for the average home owner.

Today, the most popular method of obtaining access remote security cameras is by using IP or Internet Protocol ready digital video cameras. IP cameras are a little powerhouse of electronic circuitry. Not only do they contain all the necessary electronic components for the digital video camera and any optional features (video sensor chip, pan-tilt-zoom or PTZ gears and motors, motion detector switches, etc.) but they also contain the circuitry to house their own internet server and programming to make them readily accessible for use on the internet.

IP ready access remote security cameras can be connected to the internet using a standard Cat-5 Ethernet cable (the kind that is used to connect your personal computer to the modem or router). Once the camera is powered up and connected to the internet, the camera can be remotely monitored and controlled from just about anywhere in the world there is internet access. Depending on the manufacturer this can be done using any internet browser such as Internet Explorer or by using the manufacturers’ provided proprietary software.

Access remote security cameras not only connect to the internet, but they are often used in tandem with DVRs that are internet ready as well. That has even greater implications of versatility. The cameras, DVR, and monitor can all be located in just about any different place as long as there is broadband internet accessibility. If this security camera option seems appropriate for you, talk to one of our experts today.